Barack Obama (left) and John McCain campaign Wednesday. A new USA TODAY/Gallup poll shows many Americans believe too much money is being spent on the presidential campaign.

USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL

2008: MCCAIN VS. OBAMA

USA TODAY's interactive presidential poll tracker helps you dig into the polling trend lines in all 50 states and nationwide.

By Susan Page, USA TODAY

As the most expensive presidential election in history nears its close, Americans by nearly 3-1 think too much money is being spent on the campaign, and most back limits on how much candidates are allowed to spend.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Tuesday finds wide support for public financing of presidential campaigns, including a third who say the current voluntary system should be mandatory.

Even so, Democrat Barack Obama hasn't paid much of a political price for opting out of public financing this year, the first major-party nominee to do so since it was established after the Watergate scandal. Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they aren't sure whether Obama or Republican John McCain are participating in the system.

To report corrections and clarifications, contact Reader Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.